Although it certainly feels like summer outside, I suppose it is technically still spring. I enjoyed seeing everyone's blooms last year and look forward to seeing what everyone else has as well.

Balloon Flower Before it Pops

I had some of these prior to moving in to this house but this little beauty had taken up residence before we arrived.

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Barrel Pond

My husband finally got around to cracking open that barrel so those water plants that were previously cramped in a five gallon bucket could have a real home. I have the other half filled an ready for when these guys outgrow their current domain. The tallest and biggest plant in the barrel is that nice chunk of Pickerel Rush I received from Jeff at the Greer Swap last year. In the front there is Thalia Dealbata and to the left some Yellow Flag Iris that I received this year from Fran at her Swap.

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Charles Grimaldi

Brugsmansia, I have found, are extremely forgiving. Frances brought me a ton of cuttings this past fall at different times. At one time I had placed a handful of them in a vase and they spent their entire winter in it. In early spring they all looked dead but you know the rule: Nothing is dead until it is dead. I stuck those cuttings in a big pot full of miracle grow garden soil and much to my surprise they all came back. The ones that looked the worst by the end of the winter are absolutely thriving. This one bloomed yesterday and these flowers have to be a good six to eight inches in diameter.

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I'm not sure just how much comparing the flower to the pot gives an idea of scale but I can tell you, that's a big pot!

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Clematis

As I always seem to do, I believe I got the tags mixed up and I am not sure which clematis this is. I'm thinking it is the Jackmanii I picked up at Stacy's last year.

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Echinacea Purple Cone Flower and Shasta Daisy Alaska

I planted these guys from seed in pots last spring and got so busy that it took me until fall to plop them in the ground. Oddly enough, they never died back during the winter and were only about a foot tall. This photo was taken at my eye level.

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Unknown Daylily

I have no clue what this daylily is. It just kind of sprung up here this spring and started blooming yesterday. I have another daylily with a red center and orange margins that popped up yesterday but the rain melted it before I got a chance to get a photo. Either there were more plants growing here when we moved in than I was aware of or the birds were really generous with their offerings.

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Clematis Dr. Ruppel Perhaps and Miss Bateman

The white clematis in the back is a Miss Bateman I picked up at Stacy's last year. The one in the front just popped up in one of my potted plants last spring. It appears to be a Dr. Ruppel although there are some varieties that are similar. Whatever it is, Miss Bateman is bound to be jealous when Barbara Jackman moves in as I believe the two will make an awesome couple.

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Yarrow

I planted these from seed before we moved here and previously having a fairly small yard, lived their lives in pots. This year, being full of surprises, I ended having a pink one pop up out of nowhere.

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